Fall is the Time to Take Care of Winter Home Maintenance

As much as we would like it to, summer can’t last forever. Now that fall has arrived, the early mornings and late evenings have a little bit of a chill in the air, and with winter right around the corner, homeowners should be prepared. There are plenty of steps that they can take to get their home ready for the cold season, but that means getting started early.

Lifehack’s list of 30 things you can do to prepare your home for the more taxing conditions of fall and winter shows the nature of end-of-summer home preparation. Trust us, the list of steps you can take to get your home ready for fall and winter does not stop at 30.

The fact is, preparation in and of itself means that you can never do enough. But, some steps are more important and pressing than others when it comes to getting your home ready for, in particular, the winter. So, let that first cool autumn morning serve as a reminder that now is the time to start your winter home maintenance, as it will prevent you from racing around and forgetting vital tasks when the cold suddenly hits.

Check Your Safety Devices

The importance of keeping the batteries in your smoke detector fresh seem obvious enough. As the weather gets cooler, we tend to use more heat, and this often means using the fireplace more often. A random spark, electrical malfunction, or any other number of admittedly rare events could result in a fire and having our smoke detector ready in the event of this scenario is a must.

But the device that is often overlooked, yet arguably more important than the smoke detector, is a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely dangerous, so it’s vital that you install and maintain a carbon monoxide detector in your home during winter.

It’s important to change your air filters regularly. Not only does this save you money, it helps ensure that the air you are breathing is of good quality. Your lungs and pocketbook will thank you for keeping fresh air filters on hand during fall and winter.

Other Home Maintenance Basics

Apartment Therapy’s guide for preparing your home for winter will be of particular use to apartment-dwellers. Of particular note is their advice on getting windows ready for winter.

Whether you are in an apartment or traditional home, applying caulking and weather-stripping to windows and doors where you detect cracks or holes is essential. If you’ve never applied weather-stripping or checked for drafts, This Old House’s guide can help you out.

State Farm also documents the dangers of letting your pipes freeze. Take steps to prevent frozen pipes, applying antifreeze to them is a good start. This will ensure that you don’t get unceremoniously cut off from your water in the middle of winter. Homeowners should also clean out gutters. Gutter cleaning costs range from $125 – $175. Keep ample safety and emergency equipment on hand, especially if you live in a snow-heavy region.

As homeowners and apartment renters, it is in our own interest to keep the property safe and sound. It can up the resale value, maintain an ideal living environment, and ensure that we don’t have our deposit withdrawn, among other benefits. Perhaps no consecutive seasons are more taxing on a property than fall and winter and taking the necessary steps to prepare your home will allow you to save money while maintaining your property’s value and appeal.